Valve has announced that it is allowing users to apply for the Steam for Linux beta.

Valve is specifically looking for experienced users that are familiar with Linux and are running Ubuntu 12.04 or above. This is likely because it's in the way early stages and needs a good debugging. Users that are newer to Linux are being asked to wait until the next beta release to apply.

There are only 1,000 spots available in the current registry, so those who fit the bill can sign up through their Steam accounts. Valve will follow up with users afterward.

Steam is a digital distribution, multiplayer and communications platform that distributes video games online from small developers to larger software companies.

I can't speak to Apple, but the GUI being firmly attached to Windows isn't necessarily true. Back in the day I used AstonShell for a while on an XP box...was kind of cool.

While you can paint that as a weakness for Linux, it also allows distros to differentiate, by selecting what GUI to use as their default. The average user probably would never be inclined to switch GUIs...so if they saw a PC at BBY running Gentoo with Gnome, and another running Mandrake with KDE (just pulling names out of a hat here), they can play with them and decide which one they like better.

The problem is you'll never see a Linux machine at BBY. Because there's no mainstream software support. And because there's no mainstream software support, there's no mainstream investment in it from hardware vendors. And because of all that, it's not a valid option for the regular consumer.

If Steam can get something started here with the gamer base...generally a more tech-savvy group than the population at large...maybe they can help put enough momentum behind Linux to get Microsoft, Adobe, et al to create Linux versions of their cornerstone software packages.

Linux will never be valid until it gets mainstream software like MS Office and Adobe products on it. Having more than one GUI available, at that point, would be icing on the cupcake.